Charlotte in Eaton County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Eaton County / Eaton County Courthouse Square

By Joel Seewald, August 6, 2018

1. Eaton County / Eaton County Courthouse Square Marker

Inscription.

Eaton County, also, Eaton County Courthouse Square. . . Eaton County . Eaton County was organized in 1837 and named for President Andrew Jackson's war secretary, John H. Eaton. Pioneers had come to Bellevue, the first county seat, in 1833. The county was settled chiefly by New Englanders who founded communities in Charlotte, Delta Mills, Eaton Rapids, Grand Ledge, Olivet and Vermontville. In 1840 Charlotte became the county seat. Five years later a modest Greek Revival courthouse was erected on the courthouse square, the site of county government from 1845 to 1976. (That building is now located in Bennett Park.) A second courthouse was built here in 1883-85, and a third was erected north of the city in 1976. Eaton is the only county in Michigan with three extant county courthouses. Eaton County native Frank Fitzgerald, and former residents Austin Blair, Luren Dickinson and John Swainson served as Michigan governors. . . Eaton County Courthouse Square . The Eaton County Courthouse Square is a rare Michigan example of an intact nineteenth-century government complex. The showpiece of the square, the stately Renaissance Revival courthouse built in 1883-85, was designed by D.W. Gibbs & Company of Toledo, Ohio. The interior features several elaborate marbleized slate fireplaces, stained glass and native butternut and walnut trim. A cast zince statue of Justice crowns the building and towers above the city. On July 4, 1894, fire destroyed much of the courthouse. The structure was rebuilt almost exactly to the original plans. The 1873 Second Empire sheriff's residence, built with an attached jail, is one of only a few of its age remaining in the state. The courthouse square is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Eaton County
Eaton County was organized in 1837 and named for President Andrew Jackson's war secretary, John H. Eaton. Pioneers had come to Bellevue, the first county seat, in 1833. The county was settled chiefly by New Englanders who founded communities in Charlotte, Delta Mills, Eaton Rapids, Grand Ledge, Olivet and Vermontville. In 1840 Charlotte became the county seat. Five years later a modest Greek Revival courthouse was erected on the courthouse square, the site of county government from 1845 to 1976. (That building is now located in Bennett Park.) A second courthouse was built here in 1883-85, and a third was erected north of the city in 1976. Eaton is the only county in Michigan with three extant county courthouses. Eaton County native Frank Fitzgerald, and former residents Austin Blair, Luren Dickinson and John Swainson served as Michigan governors.

Eaton County Courthouse Square
The Eaton County Courthouse Square is a rare Michigan example of an intact nineteenth-century government complex. The showpiece of the square, the stately Renaissance Revival courthouse built in 1883-85, was designed by D.W. Gibbs & Company of Toledo, Ohio. The interior features several elaborate marbleized slate fireplaces, stained glass and native butternut and walnut trim. A cast zince statue of Justice

By Joel Seewald, August 6, 2018

2. Eaton County / Eaton County Courthouse Square Marker

crowns the building and towers above the city. On July 4, 1894, fire destroyed much of the courthouse. The structure was rebuilt almost exactly to the original plans. The 1873 Second Empire sheriff's residence, built with an attached jail, is one of only a few of its age remaining in the state. The courthouse square is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Erected 1994 by Bureau of History, Michigan Department of State. (Marker Number S190.)

Location. 42° 33.85′ N, 84° 50.166′ W. Marker is in Charlotte, Michigan, in Eaton County. Marker is at the intersection of West Lawrence Avenue (State Highway 79) and North Cochran Avenue (State Highway 50), on the right when traveling west on West Lawrence Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 West Lawrence Avenue, Charlotte MI 48813, United States of America.

The sheriff's residence is at the northwest corner of the Courthouse Square. View from the southwest.

By Joel Seewald, August 6, 2018

7. Sheriff's Residence

The sheriff's residence is at the northwest corner of the Courthouse Square. View from the northwest.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 8, 2018. This page originally submitted on August 8, 2018, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 25 times since then. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on August 8, 2018, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.

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